Waving Lace Socks

I did it! I actually FINISHED another "on the needles way too long" project!!! YIPPEE!!!!!

These rosewater pink beauties were all done by 5:00 yesterday evening. I don't know about the rest of you sock knitters, but I always have a real sense of deep satisfaction by the time I'm putting that last little bit of Kitchener stitch in the second sock! My family, of course, was forced to OOH & AAH over them. And Chelsea was really tickled pink because this pair is for her.

They were actually supposed to be for me, but when she saw me working on the first one she began to BEG! And, since she was pregnant at the time, I couldn't tell her no. Who can deny a pregnant mommy anything? Especially when they're carrying your first grandbaby!

She waited a long time for these socks and she's a little perturbed because I wouldn't let her wear them yet today. I told her she can take possession of them AFTER I show them to my Monday night knitting students. Tomorrow they're all hers.

I used Panda Wool yarn by Crystal Palace Yarns. It's a bamboo/wool/nylon blend. It's soft and nice to work with and has a subtle sheen. I like the watercolor effect the pink has. I have the same yarn in soft shades of blue to knit another pair for Hilary {eventually!}.

The pattern is from an Interweave Knits magazine from 2 or 3 years ago. I just can't resist lacework! They were slower going than just basic socks ~ but ~ who the heck wants JUST BASIC?!!

I told Miss Chelsea I'd better not see her running around the house with nothing but these socks on {getting them dirty and full of holes!} or stuffing them under her bed! These babies cost me $16.oo to make. Sounds kind of crazy for a pair of socks. But only KIND OF. The experience was worth it and so is she!

Pretty Beads All In A Row

If you ask me:

Danette, Danette, How does your knitting grow?

I will tell you:

With yards and yards of sock yarn and

Pretty beads all in a row!

My mother is thrilled. I FINALLY finished this beaded scarf I promised her some time ago!

It's knit from a 100% wool, hand~painted sock yarn and glistens with approximately 2400 irridescent glass beads. Although the beading adds a little weight to the scarf, it's still comfortable to wear. And the beads give the scarf a lovely drape. They make those vintage looking scallops on the ends hang beautifully.

While this is really an easy pattern {it's actually knit in a garter stitch}, it's slow going on size 4 needles with all the pushing the beads down to get enough yarn to work with, then pulling the beads up to place them where they're needed. But the end result is fabulous!

While I've been a little under the weather, I've concentrated on finishing up some set aside projects. This afternoon, much to Chelsea's delight, I will FINALLY be finishing her pair of Waving Lace socks I started when she was pregnant. Let me remind you ~ Gabby will be 2 years old on April 5th!!! It's about time I finished these socks! I made the first one, then knit about 3 inches of the second sock and shoved them in a bag which has hung in my supply closet {ignored but not forgotten!} for all this time! I'll show a picture of them some time this week. ***Chelsea and I both must thank Claudia from "Mr. Puffy's Knitting Blog" for encouraging me to go ahead and finish these socks!***

I have several things to show everyone. While I was nursing a sick Gabby, and being sick myself, God continued to lift my spirits through all of you. First I recieved the beautiful watercolor painting from Kathy of "Welcome to MiMi's Garden" and then a package full of all kinds of goodies came from Becky of "Holiday in the Sun". I promise a peek at everything before this week is over.

Plus I have recieved several e~mails and lovely comments from many of you and even gained some new followers and friends. God is SO GOOD!!! He knows just what we need when we need it. You all mean so much to me and I'm always so happy {and surprised} when someone is interested in the simple things of my life. I enjoy all of your blogs and encouraging words that touch my daily life. You all continually inspire me and add a whole new facet of joy to my world.

Speaking of my world~ this is what it looked like when we woke up this morning. I remember wondering sometime in the wee hours why I was hearing "garbage trucks" outside. Well, in my dreamy state I didn't realize it was SNOW PLOWS!!! AGAIN!!!!!

HELLO~ DID ANYONE GET THE MEMO???!!!!???!!! IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE SPRING!!!

May you all be blessed today and in the upcoming week, no matter what's going on outside or around you. It's what's inside you ~ in your heart~ that really matters anyway! I pray a blessing on each one of you, that your hearts may truly know the JOY OF THE LORD!

"But the steadfast love of the Lord is

from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him,

and His righteousness to children's children,

to those who keep His covenant

and remember to do His commandments.

The Lord has established His throne in the heavens,

And His kingdom rules over all.

Bless the Lord, O you His angels,

you mighty ones who do His word,

obeying the voice of His word!

Bless the Lord, all His host,

His ministers, who do His will!

Bless the Lord, all His works,

in all places of His dominion.

Bless the Lord, O my soul." Psalm 103:17-22

P.S. I am actually posting this on Sunday, March 29. I started it as a draft a few days ago and didn't realize the date would be incorrect when I posted it and not being overly computer savvy~ I don't know how to make it right now!!! Oh, well! Happy Sunday everyone!:0}

Oh~Be~Joyful

Late last night I finished reading a very good book entitled "Mrs. Mike". It was written in 1947 by Benedict and Nancy Freedman. It is a work of fiction and I must confess right here and now, I am a FICTION reader for the most part. Sorry, I'm not too much into self help books. I figure that's what the Bible is for! It's my daily non~fiction read.
Other than that, I like to get lost in a good story. There's enough reality in my life, and the world in general. I need the comfort and pleasure {and sometimes ESCAPE} provided by the magical world of make believe!
Anyway, back to the story at hand.
The journey begins with a 16 year old girl, Katherine Mary {who later becomes "Mrs. Mike" to the Indians}, taking a train from Boston to Canada during the winter of 1907. Most of her life is spent then in the wilderness of Canada. I don't want to give you many details, in hopes those of you who are die hard fiction readers will pick this one up.
What I do want to tell you is that Mrs. Mike, or Kathy, at one point befriends a young Cree Indian girl named Mamanowatum. The English translation for this name is "Oh~Be~Joyful".
How cool is that?!
When Kathy and her husband, Mike, take the young girl into their home, they decide to call her by the English translation of the name. Wouldn't it be just lovely to be referred to as "Oh~Be~Joyful" all the time? It certainly would have to serve as a constant reminder of how we really should be.
At the end of the book it gives a little excerpt of the sequel, "The Search for Joyful":

"Joyful is past happy. Happy is more a quiet content. Joy on the other hand is actively seeking moments when you're high on life, and if those moments aren't there, to make them, to cause them."

Now isn't that something to ponder?

~Here are just a few of my favorite verses on the subject of JOY~

"...but those who plan peace have joy." Proverbs 12:20b
{Hmmm..... we can actually "plan" peace.}

"A joyful heart is good medicine." Proverbs 17:22
{Amen and Amen ... we all know the truth in this one!}

"And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10b
{It's the only thing that gets me through real grief.}

"So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, AND NO ONE WILL TAKE YOUR JOY FROM YOU." John 16:22 {emphasis mine}

This is Jesus preparing the disciples just before the time of the cross.
I include this verse because the part that states "no one will take your joy from you," really speaks to my heart. It tells me that when our joy comes from JESUS, there is NO WAY, NO HOW, that NO ONE can take it away from us!
And to that I say HALLELUJAH!!!
Last week was a difficult one in my household with sickness and some personal things going on concerning my daughter's divorce and some custody issues over Gabby, so the Lords late night reminder to me through this work of fiction, and the constant truths of His Word, were a balm to my weary soul.
One thing I know ~ God is still on the Throne!
Everything that touches our lives must be filtered through His Hands first.
With these absolute, immovable, never changing TRUTHS, how can we not all feel our hearts answer to the name "Oh~Be~Joyful".
In the midst of all things great and small that life throws my way, I will choose God, and I will PLAN peace and I will be rewarded with JOY. ~ The JOY OF JESUS, that is. Because the joy of the Lord IS my strength!

*~*~* May the Joy of the Lord blossom in all your hearts! *~*~*

OH!!! I must tell you all ~ while I was feeling somewhat low and cruddy from a head cold yesterday, a package arrived on my front porch. {Isn't God GOOD for sending that pick me up just when I needed it?!} I was SO EXCITED!!! I LOVE packages!!!! It was the absolutely GORGEOUS watercolor painting of a foxglove and hummingbird that Kathy from "Welcome to Mimi's Garden" made for me when I won her giveaway! As soon as I get a frame for it and give it a place of honor in my home, I will take a picture to show all of you.

Thanks again Kathy ~ I'm just tickled PINK with it!!! :0}

Death By Chocolate Cake

Last week my very dear friend Krista had to have a little bit of surgery. {If you're a woman, you can probably guess what kind!}. So, I decided she should have something completely decadent to help soothe herself with. And what could be better than a rich, lavishly intense chocolate cake?! Although I am allergic and cannot eat chocolate these last 20 some years, I sure do love to feed it to others. That way I can enjoy the splendid aroma and pure beauty of chocolate, while creating something sumptuous, without having the reaction!

Anytime anyone in my house has had an illness or surgery through the years, Krista is always the first person at the door with a huge meal in hand. Knowing that Gabby has been so sick, plus now Grammy has been sick too {GO FIGURE!}, Krista flatly refused to let me make a big meal for her. But I insisted on the cake.

I chose today to bake it because all three of her college aged children are home for the weekend at the same time, something that doesn't happen too often. I knew if I sent this cake to an empty nest house while all the chicks were away it may very well kill her and hubby! And since she just survived her first time ever of going under the knife, I really didn't want my chocolate cake to be the death of her!

For some reason this picture makes it look a little lopsided. It really wasn't though.

I wish you could see how pretty the vintage cake plate underneath the mound of chocolate is. It was a Christmas gift from my girlfriend Karen, who knows how much I love such things, and occassionally scours antique malls on my behalf!

The cake was baked in my favorite heart shaped pans given to me by Pat, my lovely Mother~in~law, years ago. They belonged to her mother~in~law before that. I raked grooves into the sides with an icing comb that was another gift from Mom~in~law!

Hmmm...... I sure seem to get a lot of cake related gifts from everyone. Wonder why?

FINAL NON~CHOCOLATE NOTE:

Thanks to all of you for missing me! And for your well wishes on Gabby's behalf. She is much better. She's just fighting the tail end of the head cold now, which she unfortunately shared with me, therefore I remained missing in action even longer!

I plan to spend the next couple of days visiting all your blogs and making some comments along the way. I sure am anxious to see what you've all been up to. I really have missed each and every one of you!

There are even a couple of you I owe e-mails or even phone calls to. I promise ~ I'll get around to it before the weeks over!

Hope you are all well and being blessed!

Missing You All

Just a quick little post to let everyone in the Land of Blog know I'm still kickin'!

Life has been a bit hectic here this week. We thought Gabby had the stomach flu, but found out, after a trip to the doc, she has her first ever ear infection. She has been one sick little girl. Mommy, Bapa, and I have taken shifts day and night of holding her while she sleeps here and there. There's been fever, lots of tears, sporatic sleep, and very little appetite.

It's so hard to watch them be so sick!:{

I've tried to keep up some with all of your blogs but have fallen behind and am missing all the action of your daily lives. You know what it's like to have a sick little one, everything else fades to the background.

I did leave home on Monday night for 2 hours to teach my knitting/crochet class. Gabby was safe and happy in her BaPa's care. But, other than that, Grammy and Gabby have stuck close together.

I hope you are all enjoying the many blessings of life and the approaching Spring. I'll be back in full swing in a few days {pictures and all, hopefully!}, but just wanted to give an explanation of why I've been MIA!

Missing you all,

Danette

You know me, I have the hardest time making a post without a picture. So here's a picture of my mother reading to Gabby a week or so ago.

Well~ TaTa For Now!

My Fair Little Lady

Gabby is trying to phase out napping. The only problem is around early evening she usually becomes "Crabby Gabby"! Sometimes it's all we can do to keep her awake until bedtime. If we let her fall asleep too early she wakes up in the middle of the night wanting to be up for the day. Needless to say, that's rather unappealing to the rest of us!

When her mommy leaves for an evening of school or work I have strict orders to not let the Little Miss fall asleep. As you can see, sometimes that's just a whole lot easier said than done!!!

I was in ~ shall we say ~ the Ladies room ~ for about 1 minute and she climbed up on my bed and went out like a light.

I've tried and tried {along with BaPa's help} to wake the little sleeping one, but still she slumbers on. Scott is just taking pizza out of the oven, so I'll try again. I'm hoping it works. If not, well.....

SORRY MOMMY ~ I TRIED!

Tea For Three!

Kar just e-mailed me to let me know she received her package.

So~ I thought I'd do just a quick little post to show you what I sent to her.

She has two precious daughters {who she said were "squealing with delight" over the gift ~ now THAT just makes my day!!!:)} to share the surprise with.

Anyway, without further ado:

I hope she and her little ladies like PINK!!!

OH! And I just have to tell everyone ~ I won a give away too! Kathy from "Welcome To Mimi's Garden" celebrated her first year blogging anniversary and had a drawing for one of her absolutely GORGEOUS watercolor paintings. It's a foxglove with a hummingbird {two of my favorite things!} done in pinks & greens {my favorite color combination!}. When it gets here I'll show it off on one of my posts. I can't wait!!! Thanks again Kathy!

If you haven't ever visited with Kathy on her beautiful blog, get yourself on over there. You'll love it {and HER} so much that you'll keep going back for more!

Silky Cinnabar Shawl

How exotic does that sound?!

After finishing up another washcloth and scarflette for my Etsy shop, I began to wander around the house somewhat restlessly last night in search of my next project. Normally I have so many things on the needles or hook that this is not a problem. I've done so many instant gratification projects lately though, that I found myself {dare I say it?} caught up. Don't know exactly how that happened!

We were ready to settle in front of a movie and, of course, there AIN'T NO WAY I can do that without some kind of yarn something going on!!! I started crocheting a dishcloth for myself, because I'm running low, but... that wasn't working for me. {I'm sick of thinking about doing dishes!} Then I worked a bit on a Christmas gift I already started with that lovely yarn from Knit Picks. It's something worked in the round with 312 stitches cast on. After 3 rounds I realized I wasn't in the mood for that either. After all, Christmas is a long way off. I don't want to take all the fun out of the last minute knitting frenzy just a week before the big holiday!

Hmmm... what to do?

Suddenly a vision of this luxurious cone of yarn, sitting in a storage container in my supply closet, danced through my mind. I jumped up and ran {like the addict I am} for my yarn stash. After rescuing it from a bottom corner, where I've been saving it for something special, I headed for my books. For at least 2 years I've planned to make myself the "Meadow Flowers" shawl out of a book called: "Knitter's Stash ~ favorite Patterns from America's Yarn Shops".

This lovely, exquisite lace weight JaggerSpun yarn was a gift from a dear friend. She made a shawl for herself out of it and I loved it so much that she insisted on giving the rest of the cone to me. A very generous gift indeed! The cone holds 5040 yards of yarn and will make, well ~ I'm not sure how many more lovely items! The color is "cinnabar", a rich~dark red. This yarn is a 50/50 blend of merino wool & Chinese tussah silk.

Aaaahhh!

It has a lovely sheen and when knit up renders a garment with beautiful drape. Another nice feature is that it is so light and airy that it meets the Shetland lace standard of being able to pull a shawl through a wedding ring. However, it's much softer and silkier than Shetland wool.

As I've mentioned before, I have a great love affair with knitted lacework. After crocheting and knitting bulkier items for awhile, I get to the point where I need a lace fix. I love the sheer, delicate femininity of a garment knit in a lace pattern when it's finished. Plus, I really prefer working with smaller needles and lighter weight yarns for the most part.

If you've never worked with yarn from a cone, give it a try. You can work in one continuous piece without any joins, which is a much faster and more fluid knitting experience. Plus, the yarn stays put and doesn't knot easily.

As my shawl grows, in between other things that will come my way needing to be made, I will periodically show my progress. I'm really enjoying it so far. The pattern is easy and straight forward. There will be a knitted border all the way around it when the body of the shawl is completed.

Also in the picture are a couple of my favorite goodies from Anthropologie. My lovely porcelain teacup with my initial and a darling set of salt & pepper shaker birds. I had to show the teacup, because a good cup of tea is always part of anything I'm creating and the red & white birds just looked so pretty with all the red in the picture!

While working on this shawl this afternoon, I finished listening to the audio book: "Tall Grass"

by Sandra Dallas. What a great story! It's done in the view of a 13 year old girl.

One of my favorite lines is one that reflects my feelings exactly.

While saying that, although her dad would always be the center of her mothers world, it was "her women friends who eased her life".

Now, I know a little something about that!

Hope all my "women friends" out there are having a nice, peaceful, relaxing Sunday evening.

I look forward to visiting with all of you as we start another new week together tomorrow.

TaTa For Now!

A Week In My Life

Monday morning started off with one of my favorite things ~ a package on the porch full of New Yarn!!! I decided to get a real early jumpstart on a at least a couple of Christmas presents. I know, it's hard to even think of Christmas when all we're really wanting at this point is the freshness of SPRINGTIME! But, since I will have a year full of trying to keep my Etsy shop stocked, filling local orders and introducing others to the wonderful world of fiber fun, I know I'll have to work on gifts here and there along the way.

This beautiful assortment of fingering weight yarn is from Knit Picks. Other than my local yarn shop {always, always, always my first love!}, this is my other favorite supply source. The yarn and needles are fabulous, the shipments are very fast and there is no shipping charge for orders over $50.oo.
This time I chose 3 shades of "Imagination" yarn, which is a blend of superwash merino wool, superfine alpaca and nylon. The color names are fun: Looking Glass, Frog Prince, & Mermaid Lagoon. I have a specific project in mind for all of them, but I can't tell what it is now because that would ruin my Christmas surprises! Monday evening took me back to my girls at Eli's, where we sip tea or coffee, swap stories, & play with yarn. I have a new student {this was her 2nd week} who is learning to knit. Erin, who is left handed, has never tried to work with yarn before. I am right handed and it is far more challenging for me to teach a lefty to knit than to crochet. So, she decided since she was "all thumbs" feeling anyway that she would learn to knit right handed. She's doing a GREAT job! I'm always amazed at how well lefty's learn to adjust in a right~handed world. {My Chelsea is left~handed also}.

Tuesday morning I mailed off the surprise gift to Kar and am anxiously awaiting news that she's received it so I can have the unveiling for all of you! Then on tuesday evening I got an interesting request from someone on my Etsy shop. She likes my tea cozies and is wondering if I can make something similar for her to cover the box she keeps her mothers ashes in. I told her I will certainly give it my best shot & that I'm honored to be asked. Anything that helps her honor the memory of her mother works for me. I'll keep you posted on the progress of this endeavor.

Wednesday morning started off with a trip to Ewenique Yarns {my beloved yarn shop!} to give a one on one crochet lesson. Cindy wants to make a beautiful granny square afghan {Hmmm.... reminds me of someone else out there ~ how's it going Patti Cakes?}. At the end of the lesson she had one big beautiful multi~colored square finished. She went on her way happy and ready to tackle the rest of the squares. She said she will probably call me when it comes time for the border. I just love that single moment when I can see it "click" for someone. I LOVE passing on something that has continued to give me such pleasure over the years.

When I returned home yesterday, Little Miss Gabby greeted me first thing with 10 toenails painted bright pink. Mommy delighted her with this girlie treat. Gabby seems to finally be over her fever and perked up pretty good now. Nothing quite like a fresh pedicure to perk a girl right up!

Anyway, the rest of my week and weekend holds the plan to crochet at least one more washcloth and one more scarflette for my Etsy shop. Then I may add some knitted sterling wire and glass bead jewelry to my list of things to do.

The Scripture on my sidebar for today seems appropriate right now:

"Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished, but he that gathereth by labour shall increase."

Proverbs 13:11

Guess I'll just keep working away. If that's what you want to call something I have SO MUCH FUN DOING!

May God bless your hands and all they have to do today. May he also bless those who are touched by your hands along the way!

Mums The Word

Ah! she is not a "Summer Friend",

She stays when all the rest have flown,

And left us flowerless and alone;

No singing birds, or blooms to lend

Their brightness to the autumn haze,

Tis' she who cheers the dreary days;

Tis' joy to know so sweet a friend;

No fairer flower blooms 'neath the sun

Than autumn's queen Chrysanthemum."

Hattie L. Knapp

Although I much prefer gentle Spring and sweet~ sweet Summer to Autumn any day, one thing I do love about Fall is the beauty of mums. Of course, as I'm sure you have all gathered by now, if it blooms ~ it's working for me! But, back to chrysanthemums. I love the delicate fresh scent and compact frilliness of them. I like the fact that they stand up tall and crowd in close to each other. And I especially love that they show up just as I'm starting to mourn the loss of my beloved summertime. They bring with them the fresh promise of hope. They tell me that after the earth and its living flora take a winters nap, there will be new life blooming just around the corner.

When I stumbled upon this vintage pattern for a crocheted dishcloth with a lovely mum blossoming up from its center, I knew I HAD TO make one! Instead of using the cotton I would normally use for a dishcloth, I crocheted it from my favorite Debbie Bliss cotton yarn. It's 100% pure cotton and NOBODY makes a cotton yarn as soft and lovely to work with as Debbie Bliss {you may remember I have mentioned before that Debbie Bliss is my favorite knitting designer and I always love her yarns}. I chose this yarn especially because, in my opinion, the design is just too pretty to stick down in a sink full of dirty dishes {funny ~ I seem to remember mentioning a sink full of dishes in my last post ~ now you know where you can usually find me ~ I'm at the kitchen sink! When my nephew was little he asked me, "Auntie, why are your clothes always wet down the front?" I told him it's because I'm ALWAYS washing dishes!!!}. Anyway, I used a better quality, softer yarn and made this one a face or body cloth {or just a "look pretty"!}.

And with Spring knocking at our doors {HOPEFULLY~ because I, for one, am sure ready to let it in!}, I went with my favorite springtime color combination of soft pink, celery green and cream.

This was so much fun to make and is SO ~ SO HEAVENLY to touch and look at that I'm going to play around with the color combination and crochet some more. This one will be on my Etsy shop pretty soon. What a lovely gift these cloths would make with some bubble bath and scented soap!

One last tidbit~

Thank you all for your lovely comments on my last post. You all warm my heart so much! Gabby is doing better and we all got a full nights sleep last night. What a difference that always makes.

May you all have a warm, happy evening with your loved ones.

Hot Buttered Toast

Today's post is pictureless. Sorry! That's a real struggle for me!!!
But, you know me~ I can make do with some WORDS.

Last night was another long night. I was up late. Chelsea got home from work around midnight. Gabby woke up feverish again, and after I had been sleeping for about 45 minutes, I got up so Mommy could get some sleep.
I was up until 5:15 a.m. We watched Toy Story twice through {I've got it down pat now!}, snuggled in the rocker/recliner and at 3:00 in the morning shared some hot buttered toast!

Mommy and Gabby are currently sleeping {GOOD THING!}
And ~ YES ~ Grammy is dragging a bit today.

BUT...

I will forever remember a night of snuggling and eating hot buttered toast in the wee hours with a precious grandchild.
Because, you see, at this point in life, I've finally figured out the value of a child and how very fast time does pass.
Sometimes, when I'm standing at the kitchen sink washing dishes, I'll hear one of my daughters say, "Mom". The split second before I turn around, I'll have a random memory flit through my mind of a little girl in pigtails and am shocked {and sometimes even a little sad} to find myself facing a full grown woman! Now, don't get me wrong, I have always enjoyed every single age and stage of my daughters, but the heart sometimes goes where the mind doesn't mean for it to and ends up pining away for days gone by.
So, God has been good to me. He has blessed me with the opportunity to have another little girl in my constant care to snuggle, read to, and laugh with. And I now know that the day will come {and way too fast at that} when I'll be standing at that same sink full of dishes, and someone will come up behind me and say, "Grammy", and when I look around ~ I'll face another woman. Gone will be the sweet little cherub faced, pudgy fingered, child with a head full of ringlets that I once shared hot buttered toast with at 3 o'clock in the morning.
Therefore, I will miss some sleep when needed and I will treasure up all these memories in my heart, because children really do grow too fast and I have learned that each day and each moment with those we hold dear has wings and is precious beyond words.
Enjoy your day today and make it a point to hold those you love close to you.
Remember~ the happenings of today, though they seem inconsequential, sometimes get forever engraved in our hearts and there will be a day in the future we are glad for the memory!

Be blessed today!

P.S.
You'll notice on my sidebar some awards given to me by a couple of my blogging friends.
Thanks so much~ I'm just tickled pink you girls thought of me!
There is a smile on my face for each one of you who read my blog and comment back and forth with me. I am enjoying this thing called "blogging" so much more than I ever knew I would.

Cozy Cottage Day

We're having a quiet, cozy day in our little cottage. Gabby was up before the sun this morning running a fever. At that point Grammy had only had 4 hours of sleep {most certainly NOT enough beauty rest for me at this point in life!}, but we got some Tylenol in her and sat in the rocking chair watching Toy Story until she fell back asleep. Mommy and Grammy were able to get a little more sleep then as well.

As the day has gone on, she has had no other symptoms other than a lighter than usual appetite. Her fever has stayed low grade and we have spent much time piled up on Grammy's bed surrounded by stacks of her favorite books {which we read "again"} and furry pups.

The cottage tea cozy pictured at the top is one I made and showed on an older post. Sometimes I like to use it for a centerpiece. I adore cottages! Actually I adore anything English, Irish, or Scottish. I am an old soul {my mother has always called me that} who was born on the wrong side of the ocean apparently!

Anyway, I will eventually sell some of these cottage cozy's on my Etsy shop. I have one almost finished. It just needs some more embroidery work.

For now~ Gabby and her Grammy bid you farewell. May you be warm, happy and healthy in your own cottage today!

From Scarflette's to Tassels

Weekends seem to be a good time for finishing work. Last night I put the final touches on a sweet little crocheted scarflette I started and laid aside while I was working up the give away surprise.

I think it turned out pretty cute! I especially love the spirals I decided to whip up in place of leaves this time. I'm going to make another one in a different color this evening. They'll show up on my Etsy shop before long.

This afternoon's finishing job has been on someone elses knitted afghan. The yarn she used is a big, soft, chunky blend of merino wool, alpaca & silk {now that's talking my language!}. It's a gorgeous hand~dyed fiber made in Chile by Araucania. The shades of blue, turquoise and purple make me think of ocean breezes.

When she dropped it off to me, we discussed several options for enhancing her handiwork, and finally went with the idea of putting a large tassel on each corner. Sounds kind of cool, huh? Well... now that I have one attached, I'm not sure I like it. So, I'm going to put the halt on the rest of them, give her a call, and have her take a look at it before I make more. Each tassel uses up a lot of yarn. I have a hard time doing something if I don't like it very much myself. I try to be extra careful when finishing something another person has put their time, talent, and money into.

But, everyone's taste is different and if she likes it then it's a GO. If she doesn't like it, we'll figure something else out. When it comes to embellishing, the possibilities are always endless!

I did at least get all of her loose ends worked in, so the time spent was not a complete loss.

Happy March everyone!